Determining the most suitable type of artificial left to employ in a hydrocarbon producing well is a complex decision that involves a number of different factors including, for example, technical feasibility, lift parameters, operating costs, maintenance practices, reliability, target productions, engineering design, company preferences and other factors. Choosing a lift type is often made based on what has been done in the past and an individual's experience and judgement. In brief, these sorts of decisions are typically made with only a limited analysis of the consequences of a particular lift type.
Further, such a decision will typically be made based on the current status of the well (including its current production rate) and its expected future production as a function time as estimated by a production decline curve or “decline curve”, hereinafter. Of course, fluid production from a hydrocarbon well is a dynamic quantity and the lift technology that is appropriate today might not be appropriate in the future.
Additionally, this decision will be made based on only a subset of the available lift types/parameter combinations. There are many different lift types and it is unlikely that all possibilities are considered for use in a particular well. Even after the lift type is selected additional decisions will need to be made regarding the particular equipment configuration. As one specific example, if it appears that an electrical submersible pump would be a good choice for a well, a decision will need to be made regarding the particular pump, motor, and cable to use. A key challenge is displaying the wide variety of options to the user in a way that facilitates decision making.
Even in circumstances where a well lifecycle plan is determined algorithmically, a single solution to a complex problem is often not very useful since real world considerations sometimes prevent an operator from following the plan exactly. In such a case, it would be helpful to be able to vary certain aspects of the optimum solution and see immediate feedback with respect to how much that would impact the objective function that was used to calculate the plan (e.g., minimum cost, maximum profit, maximum production, etc.).
As a result, even an optimum process incorporates a limited view of what might be the most suitable overall solution. Further, it might not contemplate if or when a future change in the well's decline curve would call for replacing the current lift type with one that more suitable to the then-current production level.
Thus, what is needed is a system and method of determining a good or optimal lift plan that includes a recommendation of an initial choice of artificial lift type and that further includes consideration of when initial lift type of lift needs to be changed in order to maximize the economic value of the well.
Further, what is needed is some way to visualize a recommendation based on a lifecycle calculation in a way that allows a user to adjust a proposed solution to provide information about alternatives if the recommend solution is not followed exactly.
Thus, what is needed is a method and apparatus that can be used to assist in lifecycle planning for a hydrocarbon well over its entire life or some extended time window.
Before proceeding to a description of the present invention, however, it should be noted and remembered that the description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings, should not be construed as limiting the invention to the examples (or embodiments) shown and described. This is so because those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains will be able to devise other forms of this invention within the ambit of the appended claims.